Body found in Rock River south of Byron identified as Katrina A. Smith

Ogle County Sheriff's Deputy Jeremy Pennington and Byron Fire Chaplain Gary Cortese watch as the body of Katrina A. Smith, 30, is recovered from the Rock River and moved to the coroner's van. Photo by Earleen Hinton

By Vinde Wells - Editor

A body recovered from the Rock River south of Byron Friday afternoon has been identified as Katrina A. Smith, 30, Machesney Park.

Smith was reported missing from her home on Oct. 23.

She was identified by dental records following an autopsy Saturday morning.

Ogle County Sheriff Michael Harn said he could not release further details.

Harn said the body was mostly submerged in the river and caught on a large log several yards from the shoreline about a mile south of Byron.

He said the body was clothed and had begun to decompose.

An off-duty Byron firefighter who was fishing in the area saw the body and called 911 around 12:30 p.m.

Divers from the Byron Fire Department recovered the body.

"They walked out there. The water is only waist-deep," Harn said.

Four Winnebago County detectives came to the scene of where the body was recovered to confer with Ogle County officials.